


Lucy in Avalon: A Tale of Westmorland

by A_Little_Boosh_Maid



Series: The World of Camden [3]
Category: The Mighty Boosh (TV)
Genre: Food Porn, Friendship, Multi, Scenery Porn, Sequel, Summer Holiday, Teenagers, Tiny Bit of Innocent Romance, fluff in abundance, really just a bit of comfort reading you can curl up with and get lost in, time skip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:41:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23777023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Little_Boosh_Maid/pseuds/A_Little_Boosh_Maid
Summary: King Howard worried about leaving his youngest sibling in Westmorland for the summer, but Princess Lucy found her own brand of magic at Avalon Castle.
Relationships: Howard Moon & Original Character, Original Character & Original Character
Series: The World of Camden [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1708798
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	Lucy in Avalon: A Tale of Westmorland

**Author's Note:**

> This is another story which appeared to me in a dream, hinting at the eventual fates of Howard's two youngest sisters.

It had taken days to travel from Camden Town to Everwick, and now they were on their second day out from Everwick. Lucy wondered if they would _ever_ get there, and heaved a sigh.

"Are you alright there, Lu?", asked her older brother.

"Yes, Howard", she said. "But we've been driving for days and _days_ , and I'm so tired that I forget where we're meant to be going".

"To the Wild Wester Lands", said the middle-aged woman next to Lucy, stirring from where she had apparently been asleep. "And no doubt we'll all be be murdered in our beds, or eaten by wolves!".

Howard frowned at her in annoyance. "No, Nurse May – we're going to the Kingdom of _Westmorland_. It's most unlikely there will be wolves prowling about in the middle of summer".

"What about the murder?", asked Lucy, looking as if she rather relished the idea of murder and wolves.

"Castle Avalon has excellent security, I'm sure", said Howard firmly.

"Avalon? Like in the stories?", said Lucy, her face alight.

“No, that Avalon is supposedly Glasstown, where they hold the big festival every Midsummer”, Howard informed her.

“Can we go there one year?”, asked Lucy hopefully.

“When you're older”, promised Howard. “It's a bit … wild for a little girl. Anyway, Avalon just means _apple_ s in the Old Language. There's an Avallon in France, too. Double L”.

“So it's not magic, where we're going?, Lucy asked, disappointed.

“No, but I've been told it's very pretty”, Howard said. “It's in the Lakelands, so lots of lovely water surrounded by green hills”.

Lucy accepted her brother's pleasant, if prosaic, description, but when they arrived at sunset, she felt sure that he had been wrong. The castle shimmered in the twilight, overlooking a vast lake which glowed pink and silver in the last rays of the setting sun. It looked like Fairyland, Lucy thought. And as the carriage at last drew up in front of the castle, the first stars were twinkling overhead, mirroring the lanterns that servants carried as they met the carriage, helping Lucy alight from it. It was all perfectly magical, she was absolutely sure.

Once inside, it felt a little bit less magical and more like a normal castle, although such a funny little old-fashioned one, right out of a story book. And King Meriadoc was plump and jolly as he welcomed them, apologising that his daughter couldn't join them for supper because she was ill in bed. Lucy wondered if she might be a frail, sickly little girl, and planned to be very kind to her, and play gentle indoor games that wouldn't tire her out, and read to her to spare her weak eyes.

Lucy began feeling as if she might fall asleep at supper, and Howard took her to the room she had been assigned.

“Everything alright, Nurse May?”, he asked. “Miss Lucy is very tired, and ready for bed now. I'll come and say goodbye before I leave, very early tomorrow morning”.

“No, it's not alright, sir!”, Nurse complained. “They've put us in such a small chamber I have no room for Miss Lucy's luggage, and there's nowhere to _wash_ ”. She said the word in a harsh whisper, as if it was something vile and shameful.

“Nonsense, Nurse! It's a lovely little room, and so comfortable”, said Howard. “Look at the pretty blue coverlets on the beds, Lu. And a window, so you can see out when it gets light”.

“Hmph, letting in damp night air”, said Nurse May rebelliously. “And the _washing_!”.

“Look Nursey darling, there's a room for washing just behind this door”, said Lucy. “See? A simply huge bath, and all the usual washing things”.

“I meant nowhere to wash Miss Lucy's _clothes_!”, insisted Nurse May.

“Oh, they'll have a laundry room for that, somewhere or other”, Howard said. “Do we really need to go into this now, Nurse? Lucy doesn't need anything washed right this minute, surely?”.

Nurse May muttered darkly about not letting foreigners get their filthy paws on Miss Lucy's clothing, and how laundry was her domain, but Howard persuaded her that Lucy really needed to go to bed, and that Nurse May would no doubt get a good hot dinner if she went down to the kitchen.

“And leave Miss Lucy all alone? Never, sir!”, said Nurse May in horror. “I would rather starve!”.

Howard put Lucy to bed himself, kissing her goodnight, and promising to come and see her early tomorrow morning to say goodbye. Then he went looking for a servant who could have a light meal sent up to Nurse May, saying the lady was indisposed after her long journey. She was certainly in a rotten temper, Howard thought ruefully, and now he thought of it, servants always loathed travel of any kind. It probably tore up all the well-loved schedules and routines they lived by.

******************************************

There was hardly a bit of light in the sky when Howard came in to say goodbye to Lucy. He leaned over to kiss her good morning, and she giggled softly, feeling his moustache tickle her face.

“Goodbye, Lucy dear. I hope you have a nice time, but remember it's only for a fortnight. Don't forget to write to your mothers, they'll be worried about you until they get a letter”.

Howard slipped her a warm bun slathered in sweet butter he'd taken from the breakfast table, and left. He wondered uneasily if he was really doing the right thing leaving her all alone here, just with her nurse. He'd never felt comfortable with this particular aspect of royal life, and wondered if it was becoming a little too old-fashioned. He hoped Lucy would remember to send him a letter or postcard, and thought he'd feel better once he could be with Vince again.

Lucy nibbled her early breakfast in bed. She didn't think she could get back to sleep now. She'd slept so well, and now she thought about her brother Howard, laboriously making his way back to Everwick for his holiday with Vince and Clarissa.

Nurse was comfortably snoring in her tiny adjoining room, the door between always left open so she could hear if Lucy needed anything in the night. Lucy quietly pushed the door closed without letting it click quite shut, and got dressed. She put on a simple pale blue cotton dress and sandals, covered with a little knitted jacket that Nurse had made for her.

She tip-toed around the stone halls and passageways until she came to the bustling kitchens, where the servants were already hard at work. Nobody paid her any attention, until Lucy timidly asked a sturdy matron, “Please, can I go outside to play?”.

“Can't think why not”, was the reply. “I suppose you're the little princess who came last night?”.

Lucy nodded, and was told to skip through the door in front of her. “It's only gardens, you can't get into any trouble there”, the woman said comfortably.

Whatever Howard had said, security at Castle Avalon was definitely more relaxed than Dalston Palace, Lucy thought, which had guards on every door, and they didn't let little girls leave without a grown up. There were kitchen gardens, and lovely orchards full of the apple trees which gave the castle its name, and about half a mile away, gardens filled with rose bushes and flowers, much wilder and sweeter looking than the carefully clipped blooms of Dalston Palace.

But Lucy had no intention of tamely wandering the gardens looking at flowers covered in dew. She had come out for adventure, and she ran around a pebbly path until she game to a wicket gate, pushed it open, and there she was – right out in the wilderness! At least, there was a lot of lawn with statues and fountains, and a row of elms, but she kept going until she was triumphantly walking through what she told herself was a forest. She didn't have enough knowledge of forests to realise that she was still walking on soft greensward, and that the trees had been carefully planted at intervals to allow just enough sun and air to circulate, but she kept walking downhill to the lake, thinking that she was the bravest girl there ever was, to have sought out such a thrilling adventure.

The sun was coming up now, really properly coming up, and tinting the lake a glorious golden sheen. It was certainly magic, Lucy thought. It was a fairy lake, and if she stayed very, very quiet, she was sure that she would see a fairy, or perhaps even a mermaid … She stood as still as one of the lawn statues, refusing to take her eyes away from the lake until she had seen something magical.

*******************************************

Lucy was too busy concentrating on the lake to hear somebody behind her, and before she knew it, she was lying on the ground with a boy forcing a knife against her throat.

“Your money for your life”, he hissed in Lucy's ear.

“I don't have any money”, Lucy quavered. “Who _are_ you?”.

“Eade”, she thought the boy said. “I'm a bandit. Who are you?”.

“Princess Lucy of Camden”, she said, not without a little haughtiness.

“Princesses are worth money”, the boy said thoughtfully. “I think I'll kidnap you, and demand a hefty ransom”.

He still held Lucy down, and their faces were only inches apart. He wore his black hair long, like many of the men of Westmorland, and had it tied back with a rough leather thong. His eyes were black as well, and they looked into Lucy's little chocolate-brown eyes with curiosity.

They were _impudent_ eyes, Lucy thought, rather proud of thinking such a grown-up word, that looked her over in so many appraising ways she felt a bit dizzy. She did a bit of appraising herself, and decided the boy was rather handsome, with his high cheekbones and arrogant full mouth, but no doubt very dirty, and certainly very wicked, if he robbed and kidnapped people.

“Come with me”, said the boy, holding out his thin brown hand to Lucy, while still threatening her with his blade. “I'll take you somewhere and hold you, while I write the ransom note, and have it sent”.

Lucy allowed herself to be pulled to her feet, and then she did some very quick calculations. Now they were both standing up, she didn't think the boy was any more than a year or two older than herself, and he was barely taller. He was thin, but in a way which suggested a tough wiriness.

“No, I won't come with you, you horrid bandit!”, cried Lucy, and she shoved the boy hard, using the strength in her shoulders as her brothers had taught her. Taken by surprise, he toppled over, and lay on the ground, although looking up at her with amusement more than anything else.

But Lucy didn't wait around to see how he'd taken it. She turned and ran as fast as she could, all uphill through the trees, panting and perspiring even in the cool morning, her sandals slipping in the grass so that she had to sometimes scramble on all fours. She didn't feel safe until she reached the lawns, and then she ran to the front door of the castle, where King Meriadoc was taking a turn down the gravelled path.

“Why, good morning Princess Lucy”, he said in surprise. “I see you enjoy early exercise too. It's a shame to miss the coolest part of the day, isn't it?”.

“Good morning, King Meriadoc”, said Lucy, rather shakily, wiping sweat from her brow, and glancing behind her nervously.

“Are you quite alright, my dear? You look as if you might have rather overdone things”, the king said in concern. “You shouldn't run so on an empty stomach, you look terribly pale”.

“I'm alright now”, said Lucy. “Just catching my breath. I went down to the lake, and it looked so pretty, and then I worried I'd taken too long”.

“You take as long as you want, dear”, said the king solicitously, telling her she should have a nice slow amble with him to cool down before eating or drinking.

Lucy walked with the king around the edge of the lawn, chatting about soothing subjects. She had quickly decided not to mention the bandit – if she did, the lake would be declared off limits, Nurse would no doubt say they'd be murdered in their beds, and insist on Lucy being confined to her room, or even on her returning to Camden Town. But she found she got on well with the king, who told her to call him Meriadoc, and she said he could call her Lucy.

At last the king seemed to think it was time for breakfast, and led the way into the great hall, where food was laid out. And sitting at the table, wearing a dark green dress and long black hair now unbound and combed smooth as silk, was the bandit! The bandit gave her a wicked smile, looking at her with bold black eyes.

Lucy stared in absolute horror, as Meriadoc said, “Oh Lucy dear, this is my daughter Eden, that you missed meeting last night. Eden, say hello to Princess Lucy”.

“Good morning, Princess Lucy”, said the bandit demurely. “I hope you slept well. Father, I went out fishing this morning, and got some fish for breakfast. Do you enjoy fishing, Princess Lucy?”.

“It's Lucy, Princess Eden, and yes, we fish in the Tayo all the time”, said Lucy. “Mostly chub and eels, but I got a perch once”.

“We've got trout for breakfast”, said the bandit, “and it's just Eden. Let's not bother with all the princess nonsense when it's only us”.

Lucy thought Eden had a nerve, and gave her a cold glare over her (admittedly delicious) grilled trout. Running had given her an appetite, and Lucy ate her way through grilled trout, poached eggs, oatcakes with honey, and raspberries and cream, before her conscience smote her.

“Meriadoc, can my nurse be taken up some food? I'm sorry, but I completely forgot about her”, Lucy said guiltily.

“What, she's still too unwell to leave her room?”, said Meriadoc in surprise. “Does she need a physician?”.

“No … I think she might be a bit shy”, Lucy said.

“Tell you what. I'll have Eden's old nurse take up your nurse's breakfast, and they can have a good chin-wag together”, the king said. “I'm sure she'd like someone to talk to more than anything else. It's terrible being all alone in a strange place”. He gave the order to a passing servant.

“My old nurse Melia is the biggest gossip in the castle, and she loves to chat”, Eden said. “Yours will feel better once she has a friend here”.

“Anyway girls, I have some letters to write”, said King Meriadoc, getting up from his chair. “Why don't you two have a cup of tea and get to know each other better? And maybe take Lucy down to the lake again, Eden. She said it looked very pretty this morning”.

The two girls looked at each other over the rim of their tea cups, Eden with interest, Lucy with frank hostility.

“You don't look very ill”, said Lucy disdainfully.

“Why should I?”, asked Eden.

“Your father said you couldn't come to supper because you were ill in bed”.

Eden grinned. “Oh, is that what he told you? I wasn't ill, I was out night fishing, and said I wasn't going to come in and meet some stuck-up southern princess”.

“I thought you were a sickly invalid”, Lucy said with dignity. “I was going to play quiet indoor games with you, and read to you”.

“Read to me? I'm not illiterate!”, said Eden in a temper. “I can read for myself, even when I _am_ ill in bed. I know French, and Latin, and Greek, as well as all the languages of The Isles”.

“I know Latin, and French, and Russian, and Norse, and German, and Castilian”, said Lucy smugly. “And I was only going to read to you to spare your weak eyes”.

“Weak eyes yourself”, retorted Eden. “How old are you, anyway?”.

“I was thirteen in December”, Lucy informed her.

“I turned fourteen last month”, said Eden.

“So we're both fourteen this year”, said Lucy. “I wondered why you weren't much taller than me”.

“I haven't grown since I was twelve”, Eden said. “The people of Westmorland tend to be small, and you'll overtake me in a year or so. My mother was shorter than I am now, and you've already seen that Father isn't a tall man”.

“He's a very nice man, anyway”, said Lucy. “I like him a lot”.

“Not as much as I do”, said Eden jealously.

“Well, obviously”, said Lucy with impatience. “That was a nasty trick you played on me by the lake, by the way. I really thought you were going to kidnap me”.

“I was just having a game with you”, smiled Eden. “Don't you ever play pretend games?”.

“It's only a game if both people know it's a game”, said Lucy severely, “otherwise it's playing a prank. Didn't anyone ever teach you that?”.

“Anyway, you didn't rat on me”, said Eden, “so you can't be that much of a muff”.

“I thought if I said there was a bandit around, I wouldn't be allowed out to play by the lake any more”, admitted Lucy, “and it's so pretty. Like something from a fairy tale”.

“Do you like boats?”, asked Eden.

“Yes – I've gone on the royal barge right down the Tayo, almost as far as the sea”, Lucy said. “It's lovely, you see swans swimming alongside, and once there were porpoises”.

“I mean real boats”, said Eden. “Boats you have to row and sail yourself”.

Lucy shook her head. “I don't know anything about them”.

“Then come on, Lucy”, said Eden, getting up from the table, and holding out her thin brown hand again. “I've got a lot to teach you. Only, let's stop at the kitchens first, and get a picnic basket, so we won't need to come in for hours and hours”.

*****************************************

Lucy sat back in the bow, as Eden plied her oars diligently with strong arms, the boat smoothly moving through the clear waters of the lake.

“I feel as if I'm the country of dreams”, said Lucy in hushed tones. “The blue sky reflected in the lake making a mirror world. The castle surrounded by apple trees. The green hills … and then to be actually out on the lake, to be in the mirror world, under the clear sky and over the clear water. It's a magical country, Eden”.

“There is nothing half so nice as simply messing about in boats”, said Eden, more practically.

“Can I have a go rowing?”, asked Lucy, envious of Eden's skill.

Eden shook her head briefly. “Not right now. We're a bit too far out. I'll find a quiet spot close to shore to teach you rowing. And if the wind ever comes up, we can have a sail”.

“Please, Eden, I really think I can do it, I've been watching so carefully”, said Lucy, and then she made the fatal mistake of standing up, in an attempt to exchange seats with Eden.

Lucy overbalanced, and fell into the lake, the boat turning over in the process.

“I can't swim!”, Lucy spluttered, just before she sank into the lake.

There was a horrible choking watery silence, her lungs seared in pain, her dress dragging her down, before she felt Eden haul her to the surface.

“Hold onto the boat, you muff”, Eden barked in her ear, and then Eden grimly pulled the boat to shore, along with Lucy.

It was a long way, even for an experienced swimmer, and when they could finally stand on the bottom, both girls dragged the boat ashore before collapsing on the nearby grass. Lucy sat there with her long brown curls in rat-tails, her light summer dress feeling as if it weighed a ton when soaked through.

“What kind of bloody _idiot_ goes boating when she can't swim?”, Eden demanded in a temper. “You stupid, stupid _fool_ , you might have been drowned”.

And then Eden fell to her knees and started sobbing in fatigue.

“Eden, what's wrong?”, asked Lucy in surprise.

“I thought … I thought you were going to die, and it would be all my fault, and I'd always be the girl who murdered Princess Lucy, and your family would demand vengeance”, croaked Eden, wiping her wet eyes with her wet hand, which didn't really help.

“I lost my sandals in the lake”, Lucy said apologetically, and then suddenly both girls were screaming with laughter, falling about helplessly on the grass, and putting their arms around each other to support themselves, having fits of giggles and rolling around on the grass, drumming their heels on the ground in appreciation for how ridiculous the whole situation was.

The laughter did Lucy good, because it helped her cough up the little bit of water she'd swallowed, and then she gave a gurgle and said, “My family wouldn't have really demanded vengeance. They'd know it was just an accident. I'm sorry I can't swim, but there's nowhere to swim in Camden Town”.

“You're on a river”, Eden said weakly.

“It's too dirty and muddy to swim in”, Lucy explained. “I've been to the sea on holidays, but always just splashed about in the shallows”.

“Oh, I'm exhausted. Let's just lie in the sun and get dry”, said Eden. Which they did, all spread out to dry as soon as possible, but still sometimes touching fingers as if to prove they were alive.

When they had sunned themselves dry, they both discovered they were very hungry, and Lucy became curious as to what was in the picnic basket. It turned out to be cold roast chicken, cold new potatoes, salad, hard boiled eggs, farmhouse cheese, potted shrimps, buttered bread rolls, and gingerbread cake.

“Why does food always taste about a hundred times better outdoors?”, Lucy wondered, as she mixed egg into her potatoes and added salad cream to it.

Eden made a noise of agreement through a huge mouthful of bread roll she had stuffed with shrimps, cheese, and asparagus.

“What is your boat called?”, Lucy asked, trying to decipher the name upside-down.

“ _Bouddica_ ”, replied Eden. “It means _victory_ in the local tongue”.

“Is that the Old Language my brother spoke of?”, asked Lucy interestedly.

“It might be the Old Language to you, but around here, it's very much fresh and alive”, Eden said. “If you want to get on with the local people, you must learn their language in order to win their trust and friendship”.

“Teach me some”, begged Lucy. “All I know is that Avalon means _apples_ ”.

“It's really _afallon_ ”, Eden said. “Avalon is the Latinised version. “But lake is _lyn_ and mountains or hills are _bree_ ”.

“So we're by a _lyn_ , surrounded by _bree_ ”, said Lucy. “What is green and blue?”.

“The word _glas_ means both”, Eden said. “You could say _glas lyn_ and _glas bree_ ”.

“And sky?”.

“ _Nef_ ”.

“Boat?”.

“ _Cuch_ ”.

“How would I say, dearest Nurse?”.

“ _Cara essa_ ”.

“Love?”.

“ _Carat_ ”.

“I love you?”.

“ _Eth caru_ ”.

“How do you say, 'You're my darling?'”.

“The closest would be, _Moi chalon_. It literally means 'my heart', but people use it to mean 'my dear, my sweetheart'”.

Lucy thought it was like having your own private language, and thought perhaps it was the speech of Fairyland. It felt as if you were saying words of magic, had words of power in your mouth.

“What's my name in the Old Language?”, asked Lucy.

“ _Lugha Loyr_ ”, answered Eden. “It translates to 'light of the moon'. But you know, Lucy, these long dresses we're wearing almost took our lives when it was girl overboard. What do you say to dressing like a bandit when we go out sailing?”.

****************************************

And so Lucy's education continued apace. Eden taught her more of the language of Westmorland, until she could speak hesitant, broken little sentences, and she learned to swim, and row, and sail. There were many times that Eden impatiently told her she was a little muff, whenever she made an error that put their craft in danger, although never again did Lucy tip a boat over or fall in.

But the word _muff_ completely disappeared from Eden's vocabulary the day that Lucy asked if they could go out riding.

“I suppose you ride side-saddle, like a proper young lady”, said Eden, as they walked to the stables.

“I don't wear any saddle, or bridle”, said Lucy. “Don't need them”.

It was impressive enough to see Lucy galloping her little white mare with no leathers at all, but Eden's jaw positively dropped when Lucy slowed her pony to a canter, then knelt on her before standing up, her arms outstretched.

“How do you do that?”, Eden gasped.

Lucy put her arms above her head and stretched out one leg gracefully like a dancer. “This? Oh, my old riding instructor used to be a circus performer. She taught me to do this by the time I was three”.

“You _have_ to teach me”, Eden said, her eyes staring in wonder.

“That's nothing. Watch this”, Lucy said, rather enjoying showing off for a change. She rolled back on her shoulders, then stood on her hands and lifted both legs in the air, the gentle canter of the mare continuing.

“That's … I didn't know people could _do_ that”, Eden said, barely getting the words out.

And so Lucy found that she had something to teach Eden, and Eden groaned at her own mistakes, and fell off her pony many more times than Lucy had fallen out of a boat. The local people marvelled at Lucy's prowess, believing that she had a magical bond with her mount. They called her Caramandua, which means “she who loves ponies”, in their language.

*********************************************

 _Dearest Mummy and Mama Sybil,_ [wrote Lucy]

_I am having simply a lovely time in Westmorland. It's the prettiest country you ever saw, and Castle Avalon is a funny, quaint little old castle, just like ones you see in picture books. Eden is so much fun, and we spend every day sailing, rowing, and fishing on the lake._

_You won't believe this, but I am actually learning to swim! I'm a rotten duffer at it and just paddle along like a dog, but it's real swimming. And I can float on my back and my front, and tread water, and dive for coloured pebbles on the bottom of the lake (of course not where it is deep)._

_I am also learning the language of Westmorland, which Howard calls the Old Language, although Eden says it isn't considered old here, but very much current! I can only speak a few words, but the Westmorland folk are pleased by you even trying, and are very patient with me._

_Sometimes I think it is a magical language, and there is something quite lovely about spending all day by Avalon Water. It is just like Fairyland here …_

***************************************

 _Dear Lucy,_ [wrote Howard]

_Thank you so much for your letter, I began to think you had forgotten my existence! I'm so glad you're having a good time in Westmorland, and it sounds like a very healthy outdoor life for you there. Please remember to thank King Meriadoc for everything, and to pay some attention to your host._

_I have considered your request, and can't see any reason why you can't stay for another two weeks, as long as King Meriadoc is agreeable. I will write to him straight away. It actually fits in with our plans, as Clarissa is so pleased with Everwick that it looks as though we will be here a month or more. I must admit, I am enjoying spending time in the country of my birth, and becoming better acquainted with my mother's relatives._

_Vince says thank you very much for your sweet letter, and he will reply very soon. You can't imagine how busy Vince is kept, for Clarissa seems to require new clothes for every single activity, and Vince is needed to choose the materials and oversee the making of them. I do hope Nurse May is able to cope with your simple wants for another fortnight …_

***********************************************

Nurse May was taking tea with Nurse Melia in her private parlour.

“I have been simply run off my feet, Melia”, declared Nurse May (quite falsely), “for Miss Lucy is so hard on her clothes here that they need washing and mending all the time”.

“Well, that's a shame, May”, said Melia sympathetically. “But there's no need for you do all that sort of work. You just hand that over to Cait in the laundry, the lazy chit will otherwise be doing nothing but making eyes at every young man she sees”.

The nurses shook her their heads sadly over their cups of tea at the shocking behaviour of Cait.

“Your Miss Lucy has the loveliest hair”, said Nurse Melia. “I do like to see a nice head of curls”.

“It's so fine though, you wouldn't believe how tangled it gets, and there's nothing you can do with it if it's too hot or too wet or too muggy”, fretted Nurse May. “Now, your Miss Eden has hair so smooth it looks polished”.

“Aye, it's not her hair but what's under it that causes the trouble”, said Nurse Melia darkly, “for her brain is always cooking up one plot or another, and I can barely keep up with the little rascal”.

“Well, she's keeping Miss Lucy cheerful and occupied, so I think her brain must really be very good”, said Nurse May.

“I shouldn't say this, but although she's such a scapegrace, Miss Eden is really a good-hearted creature”, Nurse Melia admitted.

“I know the king was very worried about Miss Lucy not making friends here, so I couldn't be more pleased that she and Miss Eden have hit if off”, said Nurse May.

“Now King Howard, he must be Miss Lucy's father?”, guessed Nurse Melia.

“Bless you, no! King Howard is her eldest brother. They are both the children of the old king, Peter Ironfoot”, explained Nurse May. “Although there's a generation between them, Miss Lucy being from King Peter's second marriage to a Russian princess”.

“Goodness me, the old king!”, said Nurse Melia in surprise. “He must have remarried at a fine age”.

“Yes, remarried, _and_ had another lady”, said Nurse May, dropping her voice by several decibels. “I know you won't repeat that to another soul, Melia”.

“No, indeed!”, said Nurse Melia in virtuous tones, privately vowing to spread it all over the castle the second their guests left. “Well, goodness gracious. What an old rogue!”.

“Oh, there's more I could say, Melia, but I won't”, said Nurse May, discreetly sipping her tea.

“I don't think King Meriadoc will ever remarry now”, said Nurse Melia, hoping to get more juicy Camden gossip out of Nurse May later. “He was that happy with Queen Thanea, and after she died, all he could say for months was, _Oh my poor Thaney! How can I go on without you_?”.

Nurse May clucked her tongue sympathetically. “He had to go on, for Miss Eden's sake”, she said.

“The queen was a tiny little lady, and sweet as honey”, went on Nurse Melia. “I often think Miss Eden has missed a mother's influence, losing her so young”.

“She has that in common with Miss Lucy, who lost her father when she was only three”, said Nurse May with a sigh. “The king does his best to be both brother and father to her, but just between us, he fusses over her like a hen with only one chicken”.

“And he must be thinking of getting Miss Lucy married one day”, prodded Nurse Melia.

“I don't know about that”, said Nurse May with circumspection. “She is yet younger than Miss Eden, and she is not betrothed, is she?”.

“Well, May. I don't know they will ever marry Miss Eden off”, said Nurse Melia. “She thinks only of fishing and sailing, and I have never seen her take any interest in the other sex. Indeed, she declares she will never marry a man”.

“There _are_ other options”, said Nurse May carelessly, giving a sly glance over at Nurse Melia.

“So I have heard”, said Nurse Melia, exchanging a nod and a wink with Nurse May.

Both nurses believed they understood each other perfectly, and imagined that they were planning the future of kingdoms as easily as moving chess pieces on a board. Not that either nurse knew how to play chess, and would have been most indignant if anyone had suggested they learn.

***************************************

Near the end of Lucy's holiday, King Meriadoc gave her and Eden permission to stay overnight on the island in the middle of the lake, taking everything they needed in the boat. They spent the afternoon sailing and fishing and playing that they were pirates, then built a fire on the beach of Avalon Island, after anchoring the _Boudicca_ in its little harbour.

Eden cleaned the fish, then Lucy fried it in a pan with butter along with some sausages, and they had potatoes roasted in the coals with their supper, which ended with lemon curd tarts, fresh peaches, and mint sweets. Lucy made a cup of tea, because they had brought a kettle, and mugs, and milk and sugar, and they sat on the beach, drinking it and watching the sun go down.

Lucy could never get used to how beautiful the lake looked under the setting sun, the waters pink and gold and otherworldly. And this time she was in the middle of the lake, was part of the magic, and had sailed away to an island called Avalon.

“I always think I'm going to see fairies or mermaids in the lake”, said Lucy softly, almost to herself.

“I once saw an enormous pike”, Eden offered. “I tried to catch it, but it was too strong for me, and broke my fishing line”.

“Oh, you always try to ruin the magic for me”, said Lucy, giving Eden an affectionate shove. But somehow her arm slipped around her friend, and Eden didn't push it away. She only said:

“Aren't you glad we're dressed as bandits and pirates now? It's much more fun than wearing dresses, which always get torn on brambles, or get wet, or stained”.

And Lucy had to agree that dressing as a pirate was far more practical.

That night they made beds for themselves with blankets and pillows on top of the bracken, and for a while Lucy was content to stare out at the stars, which glittered in masses far out into space. She tried to make out the constellations, and Eden spoke in a low voice about navigating by the stars, and how next summer they must try to sail the _Boudicca_ at night, using the stars to find their way.

Lucy was so happy that Eden already spoke about next summer that she dabbed her mouth against Eden's cheek. “ _Eth caru_ ”, she whispered. Eden touched her lips against Lucy's, saying, “ _Moi chalon_ ”. And then the two girls fell asleep, their arms around each other for warmth and comfort, for it gets cold out on the lake at night, even in August.

****************************************

“So you've enjoyed yourself, then?”, Howard asked, as he walked hand in hand with Lucy by the lake.

As he listened to her chatter about sailing and swimming, Howard noticed that Lucy was both tanned and freckled by the sun, and had lost some of the baby fat plumpness in her cheeks. He also noticed other changes to her body, which meant that she really needed to have her own seamstress and start wearing grown up clothes. He felt guilty that they had all loved having a baby sister so much that they had done their best to keep her a child, when she was fast growing into a young woman.

“You and Eden seem to be getting on well?”, he suggested, noticing the slight blush on Lucy's cheeks as she agreed that Eden was quite fun.

“What do you say we ask Eden and Meriadoc to come for Yuletide?”, Howard asked, and Lucy became almost incoherent with joy, her little eyes round with excitement at the thought of showing Eden her home during all the fun of Yuletide celebrations.

“Is Vince coming soon?”, Lucy asked.

“He has to stay with Clarissa in Everwick”, Howard replied, “but we'll be with them ourselves the day after tomorrow. Clarissa has been … very happy in Everwick. In fact, I might as well tell you now – she's fallen in love, and is betrothed to Prince Henry”.

“Oh! When's the wedding?”, asked Lucy in surprise.

“Next year, in Everwick”, said Howard. “You're going to be a bridesmaid, and Vince is already designing a dress for you”.

“Well, I'm very happy for Clarissa, and a wedding will be lovely, but she's going to live in Everwick, and it's so far away!”, Lucy said.

“Far from Camden, but not too far from Westmorland”, said Howard with a smile, and that made Lucy blush again.

Brother and sister walked up to the castle for dinner, and were greeted by King Meriadoc. And Eden, that wicked bandit and dastardly pirate, was wearing her prettiest gown which swept the floor, her long hair shining in the candlelight. She dipped into a deep curtsy when she saw Howard, bowing her head as she murmured, “Your Majesty”.

Only Lucy noticed the little twitch of her lips, and the boldness of her black eyes.

*****************************************

Meriadoc had laid out a feast for his guests, and Howard put away salmon pie, lamb cobbler, apple tansy, and sticky toffee pudding with fresh cream with every sign of enjoyment. He was now drinking rum punch, and listening to King Meriadoc's bard, Brian Le Fay, sing one of the castle's most popular ballads.

_When the reel takes you_   
_Out of nowhere_   
_And the background's fading_   
_Out of focus_   
_Yes the picture's changing_   
_Every moment_   
_And your destination_   
_You don't know it_   
_Avalon_

Perhaps it was the rum punch, but Howard felt much happier about leaving Lucy in Westmorland for the summer. It all seemed to have gone very well, even though Dorothea had said it was a barbaric practice, and why couldn't Lucy meet someone naturally, as she had? (Howard was too tactful to say he didn't want Lucy to wait until she was in her thirties to marry). And Sybil had refused to let Clarissa be sent away to meet any marriage prospects until she was seventeen.

A letter from King Meriadoc was still folded up in his pocket:

_... of course, Howard. Lucy is very welcome to stay another two weeks. It's been an absolute pleasure having her here, and she is a polite, well-brought up girl. I'm glad to hear how much she loves Westmorland, and Eden has been happy to have a companion for the summer. I know people say I have spoiled her, but nobody is so loyal and true as my Eden. She doesn't wear her heart on her sleeve, but from what I know of my daughter, I believe she is quite taken with Lucy ..._

Howard looked over at Lucy, who was unconsciously moving to the music in a dreamy sort of way, and giving Eden little looks as if trying to make her giggle. She was his only sibling to resemble him physically, and he had had a funny feeling she might be like him in other ways as well.

_When you galopede_   
_There's no holding_   
_Would you have me dancing_   
_Out of nowhere_   
_Avalon_

Lucy gazed at Brian Le Fay, who looked like he might be one of the fairy people, as his name suggested. His voice was enchanting ... the ballad was haunting ... it was all absolutely magical, like everything about this bewitching country.

A piece of paper was shoved into Lucy's hand under the table. She carefully unfolded it, and read it in the dim lighting.

_Meet me by the lake for one last sail before it gets properly dark. E._

**Author's Note:**

> It might seem shocking to us that royals meet their future spouses so young in Camden, so here I showed what it might be like. Because they're a same-sex couple and can't get each other pregnant, nobody bothers chaperoning Lucy and Eden at all! 
> 
> This story opens twenty years after “Blackbird and Parsley”, when Howard is 43, and has been king for ten years after the death of his father. You can see he has softened a little, and is far less bossy and autocratic with his staff. 
> 
> Westmorland: an old name for the county now called Cumbria, and in the Lake District. In the Dark Ages, it was part of the ancient British Kingdom of Rheged, and I've given people of the kingdom suitably ancient British names. It's not geographically accurate at all, and the landscape is almost purely imaginary.
> 
> Avalon Castle: inspired by the town of Appleby-in-Westmorland, which has a medieval castle called Appleby Castle, still a private residence. In actuality, it's some distance from the Lake District, and there's no lake nearby.
> 
> Glasstown: Glastonbury. It's traditionally the site of Avalon, the Tor being the Isle of Avalon, as it was once surrounded by lakes and marshes. As in our world, there is a big summer festival there.
> 
> Old Language: the native language of the British Isles, often called Ancient British or Brythonic, although it was almost identical to the Gallic language of France. In our world, it's become languages such as Welsh, Gaelic, Cornish, and Breton (all related, but subtly different).
> 
> Meriadoc: a Breton name meaning “sea brow”. There's a semi-legendary king of Brittany called Conan Meriadoc. 
> 
> nurse: an older term for what we would call a nanny. 
> 
> Eden: named after the River Eden in Cumbria which flows through Appleby-in-Westmorland, its name a corruption of a Celtic word which either means “water” or “rushing”.
> 
> oatcakes: a delicious food from England's north which are like crepes made with oatmeal. They can be either served as a savoury or a sweet.
> 
> Melia: a name based on the ancient British word meli, meaning “honey”. Not sure if it was used as a name in ancient Britain, but Melia is a Greek name coming from the same Indo-European root.
> 
> The Isles: in our world, the British Isles, with quite a few native languages. 
> 
> last month: June, so the girls are six months apart in age.
> 
> muff: dated British slang meaning a fool, a socially-awkward person, or one who doesn't understand the spirit something is meant to be taken in.
> 
> messing about in boats: the reader will no doubt recognise this as a partial quote from Kenneth Grahame's “The Wind in the Willows”. Like Mole in the book, Lucy gets into trouble when she tries to take the oars.
> 
> potted shrimps and gingerbread cake: more culinary specialities from the Cumbria region. In fact, there are many dishes from the Lake District in the story.
> 
> Westmorland language: not genuine Cumbric. I made it up by looking at lists of Brythonic words, sometimes re-spelling them, and looking at Welsh and Gaelic for help with the grammar. Boudicca is recognisable as the name of the famous British queen and warrior, her name a feminine form of the word “victory”.
> 
> swimming, rowing, sailing, fishing: a tribute to “Swallows and Amazons” by Arthur Ransome, about free-range children who spend their summer holiday sailing around in the Lake District. The Amazon boat is sailed by two girls (sisters). 
> 
> Caramandua: a name I made up, although the ancient Britons did have girl's names based on the word mandu, meaning “pony”.
> 
> Cait: an ancient British word meaning “forest”. They probably didn't use it as a name, but it looks and sounds very similar to modern names like Kate and Caitlin. 
> 
> Thanea: the name of a Cumbrian saint, based on the Cumbric word teneu, meaning “thin, slender”. She is sometimes known as Saint Thaney. Queen Thanea seems to have been a native of Westmorland, and the person who actually inherited the throne.
> 
> Avalon Island: Lucy and Eden camp on an island in the lake, just as the Swallows and Amazon camp on Wild Cat Island in the book (the two Amazons pretended to be pirates). They also plan to navigate by the stars, as the Swallows and Amazons had to do one night.
> 
> Prince Henry of Everwick: The son of Roland, half-brother of Howard's mother Ellen, who inherited the throne from his father, Theodoric (Roland was born 2-3 years before Howard, and his son Henry is probably about 18). Henry is therefore Howard's cousin, although no relation to his future wife, Clarissa, who is Howard's half-sister. 
> 
> Reel and galopede: country dances, to replace the Latin American ones in the song.


End file.
